Pet Boarding Countdown Tips

Here are some tips for you to follow that will help to reduce stress for you and your pet and you can have a relaxing run up to your boarding start date.

Before you book with us:

• Visitors are more than welcome to come and have a look around our facilities but this is by appointment only. Please ring and make an appointment first so to minimise the disruption to our guests and also to make sure we can give you the time to show you around and discuss your boarding requirements. We do not allow any children or visiting animals down to our guest areas for health and safety reasons and to minimise disruption to our guests.

• Make sure you read all the requirements and our Terms & Conditions. We want to make sure that you are completely aware of our policies and procedures and happy with our boarding facilities and services.

• If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us.

Once you have decided and booked your pet in for boarding with us:

- 6 Weeks:

• This is the time to check your pet’s vaccination records. For Vaccinations to be valid they must be fully completed at least 14 days prior to their arrival to us so this is a good time to check the next vaccination dates so that you can make an appointment with your vet if you need to get them done. You can get your pets vaccinated at our Vet Clinic or at your vets.

Feline Influenza and Feline Enteritis. It is also good to have your cat vaccinated against Chlamydia and Feline Leukaemia but this is not absolutely necessary.

• If your pet is on medication this is also a good time to plan to get enough medication from your vet that will last the entire duration of your stay. It is a good idea to have enough medication for the following few days after you return so that you are not rushing around having to make an appointment and if there are any delays to your return your pet is covered.

• While you are in your vets purchase some parasite (fleasticksworms) control medication. You pet should be protected from parasites prior to, during and after boarding. Ask your vet for the date you need to apply or give the medication. We offer supplying the medication for an extra fee so don’t worry if you forget to do this.

• If your pet is on a special prescribed diet why not buy the food now so that you have it ready for when you deliver your pet for boarding.

- 4 Weeks:

• Why not download a copy of our Pet Boarding Health & Behaviour Questionnaire, see below, and start filling it in. This way you won’t feel rushed when dropping off your pet to us. We want to make sure that your pet gets the best personalised care from us so we want to know as much about your pet as possible. You may look at some of the questions and wonder why we are asking them but rest assured these questions are all relevant to your pet’s care. For example pets who sleep on your bed and are with you all day may be more unsure of their surroundings in our facilities so they may need just a little more cuddles and reassurances than that a pet that spends most of its day outside. Stress can affect a pet’s health, digestion and immune systems so we want to make sure that your pet has a happy, stress free stay with us as possible. You know the saying “A Happy Pet is a Healthy Pet”. You should find your pet’s microchip number on their vaccination certificate. Feel free to email, post or drop the questionnaire into us prior to boarding so that we can have all your pets details in our records before they arrive.

• Download a copy of our Pet Boarding Booking Form if you have done your booking over the phone and start filling it in. You will need to have your veterinary contact details and your pet’s insurance details (if applicable) for the form so why not write up the form now so you have plenty of time to get all the details required.

• You will need to decide who will be your two contacts if we are not able to get in contact with you in an emergency. One contact is fine but two is always better! You should discuss your Emergency Veterinary Care Agreement with them as well so they fully understand your wishes and no misunderstandings will happen.

- 1 Weeks:

• When packing and preparing for your trip, do it as calmly and casually as possible. Hectic packing and rushing about will alert your pet that something is amiss, and by the time you're ready to take the pet to us, they will already be under stress.

You can find below a packing checklist that we have created to help your packing less stressful.

• Start to think about what you are going bring with your pet for their stay with us. We will provide everything your pet needs for their stay with us so don’t feel you need to bring something with your pet.

• Contact us if you have any last minute questions or start writing them down so that you can remember on the day to ask us. We want you to start your trip happy in knowledge that your pet is being well cared for and you have no worries or questions.

- 1 Day:

• Gather your pet’s vaccination certs, medication and food (if required), the booking form and Pet Health & Behaviour Questionnaire and lead or carrier so that you have them ready to go for the next day.

• If this is your first visit to us make sure you have your driving directions ready so you don’t need to worry about this the next day.

First Day of Boarding:

• Give yourself plenty of time to get ready and come to us. Seeing you rushing around in a panic will only cause stress for your pet.

• Give your dog a long walk just before you bring you dog to stay with us, a dog that has been exercised has a less chance of being stressed when you leave as they will be tired and just fancy a nap in their new kennel bed.

• Try and bring your pet to us in the morning or before lunch as possible especially if you have a dog. This will give your pet a chance to familiarise itself with their new surroundings and get settled in, they will have a better night’s sleep if they are nice and calm. In the case of your dog they will get a chance for some exercise before bedtime and cats usually just want to sit and take in the views of their new home when they are put in a new place for the first day so giving them plenty of time with us on their first day is a better option for them. It also gives you time to do your last minute items without feeling the pressure to get them to us.

• Give yourself 20 minutes to check-in your pet with us, especially on a first visit. We may want to ask you some questions on your pet before you leave so that your pet is guaranteed the best personalised care while staying with us. It may not take this long but it is better to plan for the time than to be behind time.

• To minimize the chance of an upset stomach, don't feed your pet for at least four hours prior to dropping them off especially if they suffer from travel sickness.

• Pack all the items you need to bring with you in your car before you put your pet in the car, this way your pet is limited to the time spent inside the car.

• Make sure all pets are safely secured in the car correctly.

• Your cat needs to be in their cat carrier as cats are renowned for being bad travellers and it will be easier to put them in their carrier at home than in your car when you arrive and all dogs will need to be on their lead when they get out of the car in your car park.

• It is easiest on your pet and you to leave your pet in the car during the check-in process. Bring in all necessary paperwork and belongings and let us know all pertinent information including feeding schedule and medication schedule if necessary. Once those are completed then go back to your car to get your pet. It is much easier to fill out paperwork or sign any forms without your pet struggling to investigate all the new smells in the office.

• When checking in at the boarding kennel, try not to make your pet feel like he's being left behind. Try not to have tears or any guilty feelings as your pet will sense your feelings and will think that something's wrong. They may become frightened and fearful, thinking that you are abandoning them, and will have a difficult adjustment period for the first day or two. The best thing to do is to reassure your pet that everything is fine and tell him that you will see him soon. Pets are uncanny at accurately reading you and how you feel, and if you are upset and stressed about something, then they will act that way too.

• Please don't be surprised if we ask you to leave your dog with us in the reception building, rather than allowing you to place your dog in his kennel. This is done so that your dog will see you leave and will realize that you have entrusted him or her to us. It also eliminates the possibility of your dog getting the erroneous impression that you are placing him in the run to "guard" it. When dogs get that impression, they sometimes become aggressive. We have found that dogs are very happy to walk from the reception building to the kennels with us but if the owner comes down to the kennel with the dog or after the dog is in the kennel the dogs do get upset seeing you walk away. We are more than happy to do a viewing of our kennels before your dog arrives.

• Finally relax and enjoy your trip, your pet is going to be well care for while you are away from.

During the Boarding Times:

• As pet owners ourselves we understand what it is like to miss your pet and wonder how they are getting on. Feel free to ring us during office hours to ask how they are getting on. Please don’t be upset if we tell you they are having a ball, all pets will miss their owners but it is our job to ensure they have the happiest possible stay with us with lots of yummy food, activities, exercise and lots of cuddles and TLC.

On the Collection Date:

• We will have your pet ready and waiting for you if you let us know your collection time on your booking form. We also keep track of your visits so that what we have learned about your pet will be available to our staff for their next stay, ie we learned your pet is very partial to a good chin rub this will be added to their records.

• Remember if your pet is picked up before 10 you will not be charged for that day.

• When your pet is picked up they will be very excited to see you. Do not feed them for at least 3 hours, though they will act hungry once they get home due to the excitement of having you back. Also, excitement will cause your pet to pant a lot, lose body water and be thirsty. Give them a few ice cubes to tide them over until feeding time. Remember, in their excited state food and water can create tummy problems and cleaning up messy smelly deposits is the last thing you need on your first day back. Ensure your pet has calmed down before offering them food.

• If your pet doesn’t seem that excited to see you while you have been counting down the days to see them please don’t take it personally, this just means they had a brilliant time and may be missing the new friends they made.

• After you pick kitty up from us, be sure to keep them inside at home for a few days before allowing them to roam outside. Just as they had to adjust to their kitty enclosure, they may have to adjust to being home again. Allow them to find that "at home" feeling again before letting them out of the house.

• Contact us if you have any questions about your pet's behavior after returning home. Many pets tend to sleep almost continuously for a day or two after returning home. This is usually a result of being back in a relatively calm environment after the excitement of their holiday. However, if you observe anything that appears to be out of the ordinary, contact us to discuss your observations.

• And last but not least we hope that you enjoyed using our boarding facilities, if you have any comments or suggestions we would be happy to hear them as we welcome all feedback.